meaning and significance of the paraclete sayings Essay Example

in the Gospel is portrayed using diverse expressions that emphasize His divine essence and attributes, such as 'teaching,' 'reminding,' 'testifying,' 'coming,' 'convincing,' 'guiding,' 'speaking,' 'hearing,' 'prophesying,' and 'taking.' As stated in John 16:13, He will offer guidance on all subjects and lead believers into absolute truth. Robert D. wonders if anyone other than the apostles has ever received comprehensive teaching or been directed towards ultimate truth.

The purpose of the Comforter is to lead believers into all necessary truth for their own satisfaction, just as the duty of the apostles was to be led into all necessary truth not only for themselves but also for the entire church. The Comforter aims to comfort the followers in the absence of Jesus and offer them peace. This role is accurately described by the word "Comforter." Additionally, the purpose of the Comforter is to teach and remind them of facts, as expressed by the words "proctor" or "instructor" (John 14:26; 15:26, 27). The Spirit of God glorifies Christ by leading believers to Him through righteousness, peace, and forgiveness. The Spirit provides them with grace and daily supplies, as well as insight and power for provisions and rest. By having faith in Him, believers are allowed to experience love, happiness, and pleasure. Believers are encouraged to dedicate themselves entirely to Him and give glory to Him since He is their wisdom, virtue, consecration, and rescue. They should continually pray to Him for guidance and rely on Him for every good thing in both time and eternity (John 16:14).

According to Gill, the passage in John 14:16, 17 refers not to the gifts Christ received from his Father and shares with men

through his Spirit, nor to internal grace such as faith and love which the Spirit plants in the hearts of men. Instead, it refers to the deep doctrines of the Gospel - the profound truths about God and Christ that the Spirit searches for and reveals through the preaching of the Word. The Gospel is a kind of mystical knowledge, similar to the oral law of the Jews but distinct from it. Christ received this knowledge from the Father, tthe Spirit received it from Christ, andtthe apostles received it fromtthe Spirit and passed it down to tthe churches throughout succeeding generations. This can be understood as referring to tthe blessings of grace found in thte Gospel,such as justification, forgiveness,and acceptance in Christ.The Spirit of Christsreveals these blessingsito believersand bears witnessito their truth. The purposeof this revelation isito abidein believers,enuring thattthepresence oftChrist remainswith themalways.Unlike earthly ministers like Paul who can only be physically present for a limited time,tChrist'spromise means that he willbe withbelieversas long astthey live,
astwell astwith all thosewho joinintheworkoftministryandeverytrue believeruntiltthendoftheworld.ThispassageinJohn14:16,17 servessasa compellingconfirmationofthesaints'unwavering determinationThe text underscores the importance of obeying Christ's instructions and acts as a source of encouragement to persist in doing so.

The idea of where God lives

Christians are told in John 14:23 that God and Christ will continually show themselves to believers. They will reside within believers, just like a temple serves as their home. This should not be taken literally, but rather as a way to highlight the privilege that believers have by having God's constant presence. In 1 Corinthians 3:16, it is stated that believers themselves are temples of God, and in John 14:19, their bodies are

referred to as temples of the Holy Spirit. Similarly, in 2 Corinthians 6:16, believers are described as temples of the living God. However, this doesn't mean that humans personally contain the essence of God. On the contrary, God is everywhere; His presence extends throughout all places. As a result, encountering the presence of God should bring joy to believers.

Christ acting as Advocate and Intercessor

The term "Paraclete" is used to describe Christ.

The passage in 1 John 2:1,2 affirms that when we sin, Jesus Christ acts as our advocate and intercedes before God the Father. He not only pardons our transgressions but also those of all individuals worldwide. This confirms that Jesus Christ, being flawless, serves as the mediator and representative for believers with God the Father. His righteousness is contrasted with our wrongdoing.

The Paraclete, also known as Christ, serves as an intercessor for humanity by providing a sacrifice to atone for their sins and prevent punishment. It is worth noting that the Gospel passages do not specifically use the term "Paraclete" in this context when referring to Christ. However, the Holy Spirit acts as an Intercessor or Advocate like the Paraclete but with some differences. As the Paraclete, the Spirit convicts the world of its wickedness, righteousness, and impending judgement.

The Paraclete, also known as Jesus Christ, defends believers before God. In accordance with Romans 8:34, Hebrews 4:14, 15, and 7:25, he acts as an intercessor for believers in Eden. Through his intercession, believers receive their approvals and have effective prayers before God. Another comforting Counselor is the Spirit of Truth who will always be present with believers (14:16b). During Jesus' time

with his followers, he fulfilled various roles such as counselor, leader, brother, and manager. However, he was soon to depart from them into an unfriendly world. The other Comforter was given to compensate for his absence and fulfill the tasks that Jesus would have carried out if he had stayed with them. For the apostles particularly, its primary purpose was to provide them with knowledge of the truth from the Father. Furthermore, it came to convert individuals engaged in wickedness.

According to John 16:14, John 14:26, and John 15:26, it was deemed suitable for a representative to be sent into the universe. Jesus conveyed to his disciples that their time of physical presence together on earth was concluding, but he assured them that he would always be with them. As a result, the Holy Spirit would come to provide continuous companionship.

Role as an Assistant and Educator

The purpose of this representative is to demonstrate the teachings and actions of Jesus.

And I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Comforter. The Greek word Paraklete does not fully translate into any English word. The word Advocate can be used, and Helper is equally if not better than Comforter. It should be noted that by using the word another, Jesus indicates that he himself had been and would continue to be a Paraklete. However, when the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own initiative but only say what he hears. He will also reveal to you what is to come (John 16:13 CJB). This shows us that the Holy Spirit was never intended

to introduce new teachings since he was not speaking for himself.

The Son of God claims everything taught by the Holy Spirit, including future events, and will be glorified by disclosing what he receives. The Spirit will transmit Jesus' words to the apostles' minds, even though there is more that cannot currently be handled. The purpose is to testify about Christ. When the Counselor comes from the Father - the Spirit of Truth who goes out from the Father - he will testify on my behalf. Believers must also testify as they have been with me from the beginning. It is important for believers to understand that our ultimate goal in this world is to be a witness for our King. To effectively do so, we need assistance from the "Paraklete"; without him, our witness will lack effectiveness.

As per God's plan, adult males are meant to work together with Him. The Holy Spirit operates in harmony with Jesus' essence and strives to teach us about His true self. If any religious occasion contradicts Jesus' qualities, it is not influenced by the Holy Spirit.

He is the One who will bear witness of Jesus in all that He does. From the beginning of Jesus' ministry, a group chosen by God were appointed as witnesses of the Son of God. They witnessed his divine nature, his status as the Son of God, his human form, and his role as the Messiah. They also witnessed his suffering, death, resurrection, ascension to heaven, and appointment as the Judge of the living and the dead. These events could be testified by them.

Moreover, they were granted gifts and grace by Jesus which enabled

them to perform miracles and various phenomena. Possessing authority and effectiveness in spreading the message of the Gospel wherever they went (John 15:27), they testified about sin, righteousness, and judgment.

He shall testify of me.

Jesus stated,"But it is truly beneficial for you that I depart because if I don't leave then the Counselor won't come."

The Spirit cannot come until the Lord departs, as stated in the following verses (16:7). These verses provide a solid foundation for the occupation of the Paraclete, which involves the belief of man's heart through the preaching of a completed Gospel. This Gospel includes Christ's return to heaven and his glorification at the right hand of his Father. These elements are integral to the completed Gospel. (16:8).

When he comes, he will convict the world.

The Holy Spirit's role is to present the truths about Christ, using the apostles as his spokespersons(Acts 2:1-37).

Christ is likened to a persuasive masterpiece that transforms the world in terms of sin, virtue, and justice. The Spirit convicts non-believers for rejecting him and not obtaining forgiveness. Conversely, believers in Christ are granted forgiveness. The Spirit employs Christ's virtuous life, his inherent righteousness, and his proclamation of salvation to convict the entire world. Even those who don't believe acknowledge that everyone has sinned except for Christ. Righteousness is crucial for understanding God's existence.

The Holy Spirit convinces individuals that without righteousness, they are unable to perceive or confront Him. Following Jesus' return to the Father, the Holy Spirit discloses to believers that by placing their trust in Jesus and his righteousness, they too can be in the presence of the Father (Philippians 3:3-14). The Spirit also convinces

people about the judgment imposed on the ruler of this world (John 16:11). Lastly, the Spirit persuades individuals that Jesus is designated as their judge. The Resurrection of our Lord serves as proof for this reality (Acts 17:31).

The Resurrection of Jesus serves as evidence of the judgement and condemnation of Satan, who is described as the primary instigator of evil against God. According to Jamieson, Jesus' power to judge Satan's essence confirms his authority to judge the body. Prior to this, Satan held control over humanity's mortality, but Jesus overruled him and stripped him of this power (Hebrews 2:14,15). By initiating life through his crucifixion, Christ established his superiority over all other powers (Colossians 2:14,15), thereby demonstrating his ability to judge them.

Decision

The promised "Paraclete" is the one who will take over Jesus' role. Jesus himself stated elsewhere that it is beneficial for him to depart, as his departure would allow the comforting Counselor to come (John 16:7).

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit work together in the name of Jesus to empower believers and help them internalize Christ's teachings.